Lighter



Dec. 29, 1953 E. G. GESSMANN LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1950 65 W w h WWW. I

INVENTOR. EDMUND 6 (ifJSMA/VN,

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Dec. 29, 1953 GESSMANN 2,664,008 7 LIGHTER Fild Aug. 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

EDMUND 6. 6555mm A rroRA/E K Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT FICE LIGHTER Edmund G. Gessmann, Woodside, N. 'Y., assignor to L..Batlin &iSon,Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationAugust 14, 1950, Serial No. 179,200

:3 Claims. (Cl. 6'i'--'7.1)

The present invention relates to pyrophoric Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view similar to lighters, and particularly to lighters for cigars, Fig. '6 but with the valve member shown in open' cigarettes or the like burning a liquified composition; and pressed gas. 7 Fig. 9 is a bottom view oi the valve body or An object of the present invention is to pro- 5 housing shown in Figs. 6 and-8. v vide a pyrophoric lighter of the type burning a Referring to the drawings, wherein -the same liduified compressed gas having an improved i'eferencen 'mei als are used throughoi'itjto'd'esigvalve assembly for" sealing the gas containing nate the same partsQa lighter it] is shownwhich tank. V embodies the present invention. The lighter "1!! "Another object-to provide a lighters-of the 10 nc udes, itsmaj r mponen housing or liqixified em gaswviii ein casing H "into 11h h using I In theatre-wings:

1 is a side elev ban o to overlie portion Zi -as a 2 ant zupivardlmtoube secured-to o sectional o peratingz-meohanismirele theaqgas eonta-ining ta the lighterscasingg; ;Eig. 5, is .a horizont h it: 5;

er h lighten ased; :andiwitli iverticahseetional viewita-ken th ougkr the.-;center of thervalve; assemblyrwnf:itheaifghter showminflig sl' within it osedposition;

alve 'bemgd ioni 'z z... tlhenpa rtie :iwall str ht toioonfoim' to the corresponding end Wall 'o'f the easingi The valve assembly (3, shown in detail in Figs. 6-9 of the drawings, includes a cylindrical body or housing 28 threaded into the tank I2 through the top wall of the latter and provided with a polygonal shaped flange 29 at its top end for wrench engaging purposes which seats on the top wall of the tank when the valve assembly is installed. A perforated wall 39 extends across the lower end of cylinder 28 and is formed with a central opening 3| to provide a lower bearing for the valve stem, to be later described, and with a plurality of spaced openings or perforations 32 through which the gas passes from the tank into valve body 28. A transverse wall 33 extends across the valve body 28 between the upper and lower ends of the latter and is formed with a central opening 34. A first valve sealing member 35, preferably formed of rubber or other similar resilient material, is fixed within the body 28 and seats on top of transverse wall 33. The sealing member 35 is formed with a central vertical bore of a diameter less than that of the opening 34 and concentric with the latter. The valve member working within body 28 includes an elongated member having an upper portion 36 formed with an upwardly opening axial bore 31 and slidably extending through the sealing member 35, and a lower portion 38 of smaller diameter which extends through the central opening 3! of the wall 39. A seal retaining disc 39 bears against the shoulder between the upper and lower portions 35 and 38, respectively, and a second resilient sealing member 43, moving with the valve member, is positioned above disc 39. Both the disc 39 and the sealing member 40 are formed with diameters that are substantially less than the internal diameter of body 28. A spring 4I extends around portion 38 of the valve member and abuts at its opposite ends against wall 33 and disc 39 to thereby continuously urge the valve member upwardly and the sealing member 40 into seating engagement with the lower sur face of the transverse wall 33, as in Fig. 6. The upper portion 36 of the valve member is formed with radial openings 42 which are positioned to be covered and sealed by the first sealing member 35 when the valve member is in its raised position (Fig. 6) and are uncovered when the valve member is depressed against the force of the spring M (Fig. 8). As seen in Fig. 6, the

sealing member 49 provides a double barrier to the escape of the compressed gas fromthe tank I2 so that the gas will not seep upwardly around the member 36 when the valve is in its raised position, and when the valve member is depressed (Fig. 8), the sealing member 49 moves away from wall 33. With the valve member depressed (Fig. 8), the gas flows through openings 32 into valve body 28 then around sealing member 40 and disc 39 and through openings 42 into bore 31 for discharge from the upper open endv of the latter. The valve assembly is completed by a plunger 43 fixed to the portion 36 of the valve member adjacent its upper end while working in the upper portion of the cylindrical body 28 and formed with a frusto-conical upper portion 44 which is engaged by an element of the operating device I5, as will hereinafter appear. When the valve member is in its closed position (Fig. 6), the frusto-conical portion 44 of the plunger projects substantially above the upper end of the valve body, and when the valve member is in its open position (Fig. 8), the cylindrical portion of the plunger 43 is retracted into the valve body 23 and only the conical portion 44 extends from the latter.

In order to accommodate the plunger 43 of the valve assembly I3, the top portion 23 of the casing partition is formed with an opening 45 through which the plunger 43 and the upper portion 35 of the valve member loosely extend (Figs. 3 and 6) when the tank I2 is disposed within the compartment 24 of the casing. The tank I2 is held in compartment 24, with the flange 29 of the valve body bearing against portion 23 of the partition, by a bowed spring member 46 carried by a bottom closure 41 which is preferably pivoted at one end on the lower end of wall I9 by a hinge 43 and held in closed position by a screw member 49 tapped into a suitable opening formed in the lower portion H of the casing partition. Thus, it is necessary only to release the screw 49 and swing the closure 41 downwardly (Fig. 4) to permit the tank to be removed from the casing.

The spark producing assembly I4 includes a shaft 50 carried at its opposite ends by the casing side walls I6 and I1 and positioned within compartment 25 above the plane of portion 23 of the partition. An abrading wheel BI is rotatable on shaft 50 and is spaced from side wall I1 by a suitable tubular spacer 52 (Fig. 5). The

abrading wheel 5| is formed with ratchet teeth 53 on the side surface facing side wall I6, which teeth are engaged by the tooth or pawl 54 formed on the arm 55 pivoted on shaft 50. A coil spring 56 is disposed on shaft 59 and constantly urges the arm 55 into facial contact with the toothed surface of the abrading wheel 5|. A flint holder is provided by the tubular member 51 which is secured to the inclined portion 22 of the casing partition and opens at its lower end through the partition portion 2I while terminating at its upper end below the Wheel 5I. The tubular member 51 is preferably welded, brazed or soldered to the portion 22 of the partition and its mounting is further secured by a band 58 extending therearound and fixedto the partition. A fiint 59 is slidable in tube 51 and is urged-upwardly against the periphery of abrading wheel SI by a suitable spring (not shown). disposed in the tube 51 and abutting at its lower end against a threaded closure 60.

The top wall 29 of the casing II is formed with an opening 6| aligned with the opening 45 of the partition through which the flame may escape when the valve member is depressed to permit discharge of the gas from the tank and the wheel 5I is rotated to produce an igniting spark. The side walls of the casing are also preferably formed with vents or louvres 62 (Fig. l) to provide for the supply of combustion sustaining air to the flame area.

To prevent the accumulation of substantial quantities of unburned gases, the operating mechanism I5 is provided to actuate the abrading wheel 5| substantially simultaneously with the depression of the valve member. The mechanism I5 includes a finger piece 63 projecting through a suitable opening 64 formed in end wall I8 and pivoted at its lower end on a pivot member 65 carried by the side walls of the casing, and a link 66 pivoted at its opposite ends to the finger piece 63 and the rock arm 55. A compression spring 81 abuts at one end against a seat 68 formed on the finger member and 'at its other end receives a projection 69 preferably extending from the band 58. The'spring 61 constantly urges the finger member to rock outwardly through the opening 64, and the finger member 83 is formed with a lug or stop 10 at its upper end which is engageable with the end wall [8 above the opening 64 to limit the spring urged movement of the finger member. The tooth or pawl 54 on the rock arm 55 is formed to rotate the abrading wheel 5| when the finger member 63 is urged into the casing against the force of spring 5! (Fig. 3), and skips over the ratchet teeth on the wheel 5! when the finger member is permitted to return to its at rest position (Fig. 4).

The valve operating portion of the mechanism l5 includes an operating link H pivoted at one end on the pivot pin 12 carried by the finger member 63. A pair of spaced guides I3 are preferably struck out of the portion 23 of the casing H and the valve operating link H extends slidably through these guides. The free end of the operating link H is upwardly offset, as at 14, and extends into the guideway 21 and underlies the reverted portion 23 of the partition. Thus, the link H is guided in its longitudinal movement by the guides i3 and the portion 26 of the partition with the latter preventing any upward displacement of the link when operating the valve member. The upwardly offset portion M of the link H is joined to the remainder thereof by an inclined portion which engages the frusto-conical part 44 of plunger 43 on the valve member to actuate the latter. In order to permit the engagement of the link H with the valve member, the link H is formed with a longitudinal slot (9 extending from the offset portion 14 along the inclined portion 15 to receive the upper end of the portion 36 of the valve member (Figs. 3, 6 and 8). The body of link H is formed with a relatively wide longitudinal slot H (Fig. 5).

through which the arm 55 and wheel 5| extend.

When the finger member 63 is extended from the casing in its position of rest (Figs. 4 and 6), the upwardly ofiset portion 14 of link H engages the conical portion 44 of the valve plunger and the valve is raised to closed position by spring 4! When the finger member is depressed (Figs. 3 and 8) the abrading wheel 5| is rotated, in the manner previously indicated, and the inclined portion 15 of the link H rides over the valve plunger to depress the latter and open the valve so that gas will escape from the upper open end of portion 36 of the valve member. Furthermore, since the engagement of the valve member with its operating link H is effected merely by extending the portion 36 upwardly into slot 16 of the link, the latter presents no obstacle to the easy removal and replacement of the tank I2.

From the above description of a preferred embodiment, it is apparent that the present invention provides a lighter of the class described wherein the valve is opened and the spark i produced simultaneously, the tank is doubly-sealed by the novel valve construction, and the tank is easily removed from or installed in the casing.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various change and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pyrophoric lighter comprising a casing formed with a downwardly opening compartment defined by one end wall of the casing and by a partition in the casing having a top portion spaced downwardly from the top wall of the casing and a side portion spaced from the other end wall of the casing, a tank for containing a compressed gas fitting removably into said compartment, an opening formed in said top portion of the partition, valve means on the top of said tank including an actuating plunger extending upwardly through said opening for linear reciprocation to efiect opening and closing of said valve means, said other end wall of the casing having an opening, a finger member pivoted on said casing and projecting outwardly through said opening in the other end Wall, and a valve operating link pivotally connected to said finger member and extending slidably over said top portion of the partition for linear movement in a plane at right angles to the direction of reciprocation of said valve actuating plunger and including a portion engaging slidably from above with said valve plunger, said portion of the valve operating link being inclined to efiect depression of said plunger when said link is displaced linearly in a selected direction by rocking of the finger member.

2. A pyrophoric lighter according to claim 1; wherein said inclined portion of said valve operating link is longitudinally slotted, and said plunger includes a reduced diameter end adapted to extend from below loosely into the slot of said inclined portion.

3. A pyrophoric lighter comprising a casing formed with a downwardly opening compartment defined by one end wall of the casing and by a partition in the casing having a top portion spaced downwardly from the top wall'of the easing and a side portion spaced from the other end wall of the casing, a tank for containing a compressed gas fitting removably into said compartment, an opening formed in said top portion of the partition, valve means on the top of said tank including an actuating plunger extending up wardly through said opening, said other end wall of the casing having an opening, a finger member pivoted on said casing and projecting outwardly through said opening in the. other end Wall, a valve operating link pivotally connected to said finger member and extending slidably over said top portion of the partition for slidable engagement from above with said valve plunger, a portion of said valve operating link being inclined to effect depression of said plunger when said link is displaced in a selected direction by rocking of the finger member, said inclined por- 'tion of the valve operating link having a longitudinal slot and said plunger including a reduced diameter end extending from below loosely into said slot of the inclined portion, and guide means slidably engaging said valve operating link at the opposite ends of said inclined portion to resist vertical movement of said operating link.

EDMUND G. GESSMANN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

